March 2013 -- Registered Program Newsletter

March 2013

Message from Dr. Chaffin

Greetings. I hope this message finds you well and in the midst of a rewarding term. It already has been a rewarding year here, from the launch of the Financial Planning Competency Handbook to visiting many campuses and collaborating to develop new ways to improve program sustainability and student achievement. CFP Board is grateful for each of our education partnerships and, perhaps just as important, our collaboration with faculty and program directors as we work to prepare future CFP® Professionals.

Renewal Process for CFP Board Registered Programs

The renewal process for CFP Board Registered Programs has changed. It is very important that you and your faculty review this new process and plan accordingly. Although the process for renewal is now biennial, it is vital that you stay abreast of current requirements and keep your registration current.

Spring Webinar - April 2

CFP Board will be presenting a webinar on Tuesday, April 2 at 1pm (Eastern). Dr. Chaffin will discuss the new Registered Program Renewal Application process, explaining the changes and providing suggestions for how to successfully complete the renewal process. Register for the Spring Webinar >

Prospective Programs Webinar - April 30

On April 30, CFP Board will be presenting a webinar targeted toward schools that are considering registering a financial planning curriculum with CFP Board. Dr. Chaffin will discuss the advantages and requirements of becoming a CFP Board Registered Program, including the initial registration process.

Creating an account will allow students to receive the most current information about CFP® Certification and will enable them to apply for the CFP® Certification Examination when they have completed their coursework.

Encouraging students to create their online CFP Board account can be as simple as relaying the following information to them:

As you prepare for your career in personal financial planning, we encourage you to indicate your interest in CFP® Certification by creating a secure online account with CFP Board. Creating an account will allow CFP Board to provide you with the most current information about CFP® Certification. You’ll receive updates on any changes to the requirements for CFP® Certification. Establishing an account with CFP Board will also enable you to apply for the CFP® Certification Examination when you’ve completed your coursework.

It takes only a few minutes to set up your free online account with CFP Board and connect you with your pathway to becoming a CFP® professional.

Financial Planning Challenge 2013

CFP Board is pleased to once again partner with the Financial Planning Association® (FPA®) and Ameriprise Financial to host the 2013 Financial Planning Challenge.

The Financial Planning Challenge is a competition created to support the next generation of financial planners by: engaging students and academic advisors in the financial planning community; raising awareness of career opportunities; and encouraging learning and networking in the financial planning profession. The competition criteria have been developed in part to illustrate potential avenues for satisfying the CFP Board Financial Plan Development Course requirements to both students and faculty.

Schools are encouraged to put forward teams to compete in the 2013 Financial Planning Challenge. This distinctive competition is designed exclusively for undergraduate degree programs registered with CFP Board, or related fields of study. In this challenge, teams compete to advance through three phases:

In the first phase of the competition all student teams will be given profiles for two hypothetical clients and must prepare a comprehensive financial plan.

After the first phase is judged and awarded, the top eight teams will advance to the next phases of the competition to be held in conjunction with FPA Experience 2013 in Orlando, Florida from October 19-21, 2013. All teams must orally present their case studies to a panel of judges and participate in the "How Do You Know?" Challenge.

The top three winning teams will be awarded a monetary scholarship for their school.

CFP Board would also like to congratulate the 2012 Financial Planning Challenge winning teams:

First Place Overall - Kansas State University
Second Place Overall - Virginia Tech Team 2
Third Place Overall - Texas Tech University

The CFP Board 2013 Registered Program Conference will be held August 8-9 in Washington, DC. Please visit the Registered Program Conference website for more information, to review the call for proposals, and to register.